Here is a small business marketing tip. When it comes to your marketing materials, what you like needs to take a back seat to what your clients and prospects need.

I see small business owners all the time creating marketing messages and materials based on their preferences and what they like. It seems logical enough, but too often these same business owners are surprised when their materials and messages miss the mark.

Consider that everyone is judging your message and your materials based on their criteria, not yours. Sometimes I describe it to my clients by saying think of your marketing as a wall. There are two sides to the wall. There is the side that you see and what is important to you. But, there is also the side the prospects or clients see and what is important to them.

If your message and your materials are only designed to reflect your side of the wall, then don't be surprised when they don't work. It's a common small business mistake. Design your marketing message and materials from the outside-in. Too often marketing materials are poorly put together because they have the wrong orientation and insufficient content.

How many times have you come across someone else's materials and been left wondering if what they offer is relevant for you? Short little three-word bullets that list out services or facts about how long you've been in business simply don't communicate.

What your prospects and clients need is to know that you understand their situation and what problems, issues and challenges they're trying to solve. They need to know what outcomes and results you want to help them produce. What will things be like when their problems are solved? They need to understand your basic approach to help them solve their challenges.

Great marketing materials inform and educate those who are in search of solutions. Yes, your marketing materials should reflect you and your business. But, don't focus on that until you've addressed what your prospects and clients really need.